Trace of Innocence (No Control Book 3)

Chapter 27

(No Control - 27. Live While We're Young)

I am just slipping my arm around Jess's waist when I hear the noise of a door opening and I am brought sharply to my senses. I suddenly realise I am kissing her in a public building where anyone could see us, and in about two seconds, somebody just might.

Before I have time to react, Jess is pulling me by my shirt through her door and into her flat, walking backwards so there still isn't an inch between us. She kicks it shut, then slips away from me to turn the lock as I hear the sound of someone's footsteps walking past the door.

Fuck, that was close. Not to mention a major turn on. I look at her and her face is flushed, and she is smiling at me. I smirk back.

I wonder where this will lead.

"Would you mind if I use your bathroom?" I ask.

"Not at all, it's at the end of the hall," she says, pointing towards a door at the end of the corridor, past the lounge.

The bathroom is immaculate, and the scent that was on my pillow earlier is present now; sort of sweet like vanilla but fresh at the same time.

I want to kiss her again but I don't want her to think I'm being pushy. A goodnight kiss on the doorstep is a lot different to a passionate smooch only a few feet from her bedroom. I'm going to have to let her call the shots with this one. She knows I'm interested - I made that clear at dinner, and when I kissed her just then. I don't want to be a pest.

I quickly take a piss and wash my hands, and as I'm coming out I hear her call "in here!" so I follow the sound of her voice and find her standing in a small kitchen.

"Tea?" she asks.

"That'd be great, thanks," I say happily. She seems comfortable with me in her flat so I'm taking that as a good sign. She indicates for me to sit down at her kitchen table so I pull out a chair and discreetly check my phone while she makes the tea.

There's a text from Niall - Fucked her yet?

Honestly, sometimes he goes too far. I ignore it and slide my phone back into my pocket.

"So do you have any plans for the summer?" I ask once she has sat down opposite me.

"Not really," she says, wrapping her hands around her mug of tea. "There's a group of us that sometimes do a last minute holiday somewhere hot so we might do it this year but we've not talked about it yet. And..."

She trails off and I raise my eyebrows at her, waiting for her to continue.

"We've got tickets to your Cardiff show in June," she finishes in a rush, and her face has turned red again.

I love that she gets so embarrassed about being a fan, and I can't hide my grin.

"Really? That's great!" I say, and then it dawns on me what she has just said. Cardiff is a long way from here. Why is she going all the way there? Surely she would be going to one of our London shows?

"Isn't that a bit far?" I ask, sipping my tea.

"Well, we needed a contingency, in case London sold out," she explains. "So Sarah was in charge of the London dates, and I was in charge of the rest of the UK. Turns out we were both lucky. She got London and I got Cardiff. So we're going twice."

I can feel my smile widening at her obvious discomfort at admitting all this, and watch as she closes her eyes."Go on, take the piss. I know you're dying to," she says softly.

No, actually, what I am dying to do is kiss you, I think to myself.

All my resolutions are thrown out of the window and I lean forward before I can change my mind. I can tell she isn't expecting it when my lips touch hers but she doesn't pull away, and kisses me back gently. I'm trying not to be pushy so I gather all my willpower and pull away from her after a couple of seconds, and she opens her eyes and looks at me.